Barbecuing is fun and easy, whether you’re a cookout queen or still reading the instructions on the George Foreman grill. Flames can impart rich, complex flavors to all kinds of food - even desserts. Check out these 7 recipes...

Grilled Steak with Beets & RadicchioPeppery radicchio mellows a bit on the grill and is offset wonderfully by the sweet beets and earthy goat cheese dressing. Rib-eye or filet mignon would also be a delicious choice in this recipe.

2. Place cheese in a medium bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until creamy. Add vinegar, dry mustard, shallot, parsley, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 2 teaspoons oil and whisk until blended.

3. Thread radicchio chunks and beets onto skewers and drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Rub steaks with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil. Season the steaks and skewered vegetables with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper.

4. Grill the steaks 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Grill the vegetable skewers, turning frequently, until the radicchio is wilted and lightly charred, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the steaks to a plate; let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skewers. Serve steaks and vegetables with the sauce.

Grilled Tomato GazpachoGrill the vegetables for this refreshing soup earlier in the day or even the night before. We sometimes serve the gazpacho in clear Spanish wine tumblers to show off the rich color.

2. Grill tomatoes and bell pepper, turning a few times, until they soften and the skins are blistered and charred in spots, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pepper to a plastic bag and let it steam until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin; cut the pepper in half and discard the stem and seeds. Place one half in a blender. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, core and roughly chop, then add to the blender.

3. Add half the cucumber to the blender along with bread, garlic, vinegar to taste, parsley, piment d’Espelette (or paprika or cayenne), salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add oil and blend until well combined. Refrigerate until room temperature or chilled, at least 1 hour.

4. Before serving, finely dice the remaining cucumber and bell pepper; stir half of each into the gazpacho and garnish with the remaining cucumber and bell pepper.

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro PestoCook chicken tenders quickly on the grill and top with pesto made with cilantro and sesame seeds for a zesty, speedy dinner. Serve with quinoa and grilled asparagus.

Preparation1. Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, oil and chili powder in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl. Add chicken to the remaining marinade; toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high.

3. Meanwhile, place cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and the reserved marinade in a food processor and process until fairly smooth.

4. Oil the grill rack. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade) and grill until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the chicken with the cilantro-sesame pesto.

Grilled Apples with Cheese & HoneyDessert meets the cheese plate when you drizzle grilled apples and flavorful cheese with honey and toasted pecans for a quick and healthy finish to any meal for two. This is a good chance to try some exotic honeys — their nuances will shine in this simple dessert.

Preparation1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat. Toss apple slices with oil and sugar in a large bowl. Grill the apple slices until just tender and lightly marked, turning once, about 6 minutes. Shave cheese into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Top the apple slices with a sprinkling of cheese and nuts and drizzle with honey.

Preparation1. Fill a Dutch oven with water; add the juice of 1 lemon. Trim leaves from the top of an artichoke. Remove the outer layer(s) of leaves from the stem end and snip all remaining spiky tips from the outer leaves. Trim an inch off the bottom of the stem and use a vegetable peeler to remove the fibrous outer layer. As each artichoke is prepared, drop it into the lemon water to prevent it from turning brown.

2. When all the artichokes are prepared, cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil until the base of the stem can be pierced with a fork, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium. Slice the artichokes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the choke and first few inner layers in the center until the heart is revealed. Brush each half with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the artichokes until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter, squeeze half a lemon over them and garnish with the remaining lemon half cut into 4 wedges. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

ariation: For boiled artichokes, add 5 minutes to the cooking time in Step 2. Serve whole or cut in half and scoop out the chokes.

Smoky Corn & Black Bean PizzaThe secret to a grilled pizza is having all your ingredients ready before you head out to the grill. Make it a meal: Toss the extra black beans, diced tomato and some avocado with prewashed salad greens and Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette, and dinner is on the table in no time.

2. Combine tomato, beans and corn in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a large baking sheet. Stretch the dough into about a 12-inch circle and lay it on top of the cornmeal, coating the entire underside of the dough.

3. Transfer the crust from the baking sheet to the grill. Close the lid and cook until the crust is puffed and lightly browned on the bottom, 4-5 minutes.

4. Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread barbecue sauce on it and quickly sprinkle with the tomato mixture and cheese. Close the lid; grill until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crust is browned, 4-5 minutes.

Asian-Style Grilled Tofu with GreensLook for Asian greens (tatsoi, mizuna and/or pea shoots) packaged as a salad mix. They're slightly more bitter than many spring greens and will stand up well to this aromatic, vinegary dressing. Black bean-garlic sauce, a savory, salty sauce used in Chinese cooking, is made from fermented black beans, garlic and rice wine. It can be found in the Asian-food section of large supermarkets or at Asian markets.

To prepare tofu: 1. Slice each tofu block crosswise into 5 slices; pat dry with paper towels. Combine honey, oil, soy sauce, black bean-garlic sauce and garlic in a small bowl. Spread half the marinade in a large baking dish and top with the tofu slices. Spread the remaining marinade over the tofu, covering completely.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack. Grill the tofu until heated through, 2-3 minutes per side. To serve, toss greens with the dressing. Divide among 6 plates and top with the tofu.

Test Your Grill SkillHow good are you behind the grill? Step up and face the fire by answering these questions. Find out if you're a little sparky, if you're smokin' or if you are all the way red hot with this barbecue quiz.

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